In a world where the energy transition demands both technological breakthroughs and societal shifts, Energy Living Lab is leading with a bold, human-centred approach. Hosted by the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO) and active through its dedicated Energy Living Lab Association, this ENoLL-certified lab has carved a unique space where social innovation, citizen engagement and systemic thinking power real-world impact.
The origins of Energy Living Lab date back to 2008, rooted in the research of Joëlle Mastelic, professor at HES-SO. Working closely with engineers and economists, she saw a need to embed social sciences into the energy innovation process. Her doctoral research explored how buildings perform socially, how communities use energy, and how participatory tools could shape better solutions. Over time, this grew into an applied Living Lab approach grounded in co-creation and co-design.
By 2013, Energy Living Lab became a certified member of ENoLL. It wasn’t just about joining a network, it was about committing to a way of working that sees people not as passive consumers, but as active participants in shaping sustainable energy futures.
Today, the Energy Living Lab ecosystem operates through two complementary structures:
Together, they operate under one shared identity: Energy Living Lab.
While many energy-focused Living Labs remain technology-focussed, Energy Living Lab intentionally puts citizens and behaviour change at the centre.
“We’re not here to test gadgets,” explains Fiona Zimmermann, one of the core team members. “Our innovation is in the methods, the tools, the way we build relationships. It’s about the process, not just the product.”
Among these tools is the E4Citizens serious game, designed to spark community visions and action plans. Another is the Living Lab Integrative Process (LLIP) – methodology rooted in design thinking and widely adopted across the ENoLL network.
From neighborhood energy planning to mobility and wellbeing, their projects reflect a long-term, systemic view of change, not just a quick test bed for innovation.
One standout initiative has been the Innovation Booster “Living Labs for Decarbonisation”, funded by Innosuisse. Between 2021 and 2024, the programme invested over 1 million Swiss francs in 53 projects led by SMEs, startups and associations.
“What made it special,” shares Colm Kuonen, who leads communications at ELLA, “is that we didn’t just fund innovation. We challenged applicants to think about citizen involvement, stakeholder co-creation, and social impact. It wasn’t just about the tech.”
Projects like TexUp, for example, went beyond standard business models. With support from Energy Living Lab tools, they engaged multiple stakeholders to improve workplace wellbeing – not just design a product but shape it with users.
At a European level, Energy Living Lab has also led methodology and capacity building in the oPENLab project, supporting cities like Genk, Tartu and Pamplona to develop Positive Energy Neighborhoods. In Pamplona, this work led to a socially innovative energy community, integrating energy poverty mitigation, mobility support, and even art interventions.
Not everything works perfectly. And for Energy Living Lab, that’s part of the journey.
“As entrepreneurs, we get excited by ideas,” says Fiona. “But you have to match skills with delivery. In a Living Lab, you need people who understand business models, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. That’s not always easy in academic structures.”
Governance plays a key role. Energy Living Lab uses a holocratic model, where team roles are fluid and participatory. But balancing this with university hierarchies can be tricky. And while the team gained strong national recognition, they learned that pushing too fast at the national level came at the cost of some local connections.
Colm reflects, “We grew quickly across Switzerland, but in doing so, we lost a bit of our local anchor. We’re now finding our way back, with more place-based projects and a citizens’ panel in our hometown of Sion.”
That local engagement has proven meaningful. Community members are eager to collaborate, drawn by the lab’s openness and trusted position within a university. “They see us not as a company trying to sell them something,” says Fiona, “but as a bridge, a neutral space. That trust matters.”
Being part of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) has been central to Energy Living Lab’s evolution.
“ENoLL has been part of our story since the beginning,” Fiona explains. “When Joëlle was doing her PhD, the network gave her a place to learn from others, to test and share ideas, and to help shape how Living Labs are defined across Europe.”
Today, as an Effective Member, the lab remains an active contributor to ENoLL’s working groups, events and European projects.
“We get great value from OpenLivingLab Days and from the people we meet,” says Fiona. “It’s a kind of therapy, really – being surrounded by others who share the same values and challenges.”
Colm agrees. “It’s the network, the tools, the exchange. You see other perspectives, learn from others’ mistakes and successes, and bring that knowledge back to your own context.”
ENoLL also plays a practical role, offering visibility and support for dissemination. “In every project application, we’re asked how we’ll share our results,” Colm notes. “ENoLL gives us a credible platform to do that – whether through webinars, events or storytelling.”
Looking ahead, the team hopes to contribute more research, stories, , and exchanges that help build recognition for the Living Lab model, especially among municipalities.
For Fiona and Colm, it’s not about being a testbed.
“We’re not just plugging in a product and collecting feedback,” Colm explains. “We’re looking at the whole system. Who’s affected, who’s involved, and how we create something that works long-term.”
Living Labs, they argue, offer a big-picture view. They’re messy, grounded in the real world, and demand constant adaptation. But they also offer something unique: the chance to make meaningful, shared progress, not just technological fixes.
“It’s not about creating for the user,” says Fiona. “It’s about co-creating with them. That changes everything.”
When asked what advice they’d give others, Fiona laughs: “Prepare to explain what a Living Lab is – a million times.”
But beyond that, she offers a key insight: “Stay open. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Living Labs are intermediaries, connectors. It’s about listening, understanding, and being willing to adapt.”
Colm adds that facilitation is key. “It’s not enough to have good ideas. You need the skills to keep people engaged, share perspectives, and navigate conflict.”
From Sion to Switzerland and beyond, Energy Living Lab is showing what it means to lead with purpose, creativity and care. Whether designing games, building neighborhoods, or empowering startups, they bring people together for shared learning and lasting impact.
Their success isn’t just in outputs – it’s in relationships, reflection, and the courage to keep evolving.
As Fiona puts it: “We’re not in it to tick boxes. We’re here to tell a new story and to make the energy transition real, human and hopeful.”
The interview has been taken by Andrada Barață, Head of Communications at ENoLL with Fiona Zimmermann and Colm Kuonen from Energy Living Lab.
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